In Depth Review
We received an OHCO M.8 massage chair into our video studio, and I thought I would hijack it and bring it to my home for a long term test drive. The M.8 looks absolutely stunning, but it is pretty big. I like the overall massage in general, so lets dive right into my OHCO M.8 review.
Assembly
Getting the OHCO M.8 out of the boxes and assembled was pretty straight forward. I wish I would have thought ahead and taken some pictures to show the progress. We have assembled tons of massage chairs, and this one was pretty easy. Once it is out of the boxes, there are even carry handles to help move the main body where you want it. Then, you attach the sidearms, which is just 1 pin and 4 screws on each door. The wire harness and air hose just plug and play. Slide the ottoman into place, slide the hinge down, add a couple of screws, zip up the zipper, and you are about ready to head to the world of relaxation. There are optional accessories you can add, such as the heel inserts, foot massage padding, and aromatherapy, which I will dive into later in my OHCO M.8 review.
TIP: Make sure you put the OHCO M.8 massage chair where you need it as it is cumbersome and not easy to move once assembled. There are casters on the back, but it is hard to tip back to move due to the weight.
Design
My first impression of the OHCO M.8 for my review is that the massage chair is massive, but it is absolutely beautiful. The craftsmanship is top-notch and what you would expect of a Japanese manufactured massage chair. The synthetic leather looks and feels like real leather without having the maintenance. The stitching looks great, and the crosshatch stitching on the seat and back give it a high-end luxurious look like a Bentley or Rolls Royce. Keep in mind that this is one of the most massive massage chairs we have seen and one of the heaviest at 364lbs.
Doors
Getting into a massage chair, you generally just sit in it. You can do that also with the OHCO M.8 massage chair, or you can just open one of the doors and slide in from the side. That is right, there are doors like a car. Doors are very unique to the OHCO series of massage chairs, and I think it is something that should be added to more chairs. If you are elderly or have a disability, getting in and out of a massage chair might be difficult for you. Having the doors open up a new world of possibilities. If you are looking for more options, check out the Luraco i9 Medical Massage Chair with sliding doors.
Headrest
The headrest for our OHCO M.8 review is unique in the massage chair industry. The only headrest that is similar would be the Inada Dreamwave. The headrest has small rollers that massage the base of your head or your trapezius muscle, which feels great, but not very deep. There are airbags below the headrest that push down applying pressure, which relaxes the muscles and helps to decompress the vertebrae along your neck. You can push the headrest up to get a deeper massage for your neck from the massage roller, but the body scan will not scan correctly and you have to manually adjust the shoulder height.
TIP: Before a massage, I like to pull down the headrest lower than what would fit. Then I slide under it and push it up so that I know it is properly placed. More about why this is important later.
Adjustable Shoulder Airbags
The shoulder airbags can rotate up and down. Make sure to adjust them properly so that when they inflate to grab you, they grab correctly. This is important when you are in the stretch program.
Automatic Programs
Once you sit in the OHCO M.8 massage chair and you adjust the headrest and shoulder airbags, you are ready for a massage. Depending on your mood, or what therapy you require, choose from Quick, Full Body, Float, Morning, Night, Unwind, Stress Relief, Stretch, Sports Recovery, or Full-Body Air. Or select one of the focused massages such as Neck & Shoulders, Low Back, Glute, and Feet & Calves.
Once you select your automatic program, you can adjust the air intensity, 3D intensity, and even link a massage. The link massage allows you to add another massage so you can get another massage right after. I personally like Sports Recovery and then link to the Glute massage after a tough leg day in the gym.
Another massage chair we really liked for Sports Recovery is the JPMedics Kumo Massage Chair.
TIP: You may read elsewhere that you can adjust the timer on the massage. I can confirm that this is not the case. The massage is only a preset time limit, with most programs being 18 minutes. If you are done before that, just turn the massage chair off to return to the upright position.
Body Scan
When the massage first begins, the OHCO M.8 will do a body scan. The massage roller will start at the top and work its way down to the middle of your back. The scan is locating your shoulder blades and top of your shoulders for a consistent pressure massage across your back.
TIP: The body scan only works properly when the headrest is placed correctly. If during the body scan, the rollers press into the middle of the headrest, the body scan was not done correctly. Turn off the massage chair and readjust the headrest lower. You can have a massage with the headrest pulled back, but you have to manually adjust the rollers to the top of your shoulders.
Zero Gravity Recline
Once the scan is complete, depending on the program, the massage chair will recline into the Zero Gravity position. Zero Gravity is one thing that massage chairs have over going to a masseuse. The chair will recline, slide forward, and the leg rest will rise up. While in the Zero Gravity position, your spine will decompress, relieving tension across your body. There are 3 levels of Zero Gravity to choose from.
TIP: If you like to watch TV while getting a massage, it is tough to do in the Zero Gravity position. Once the chair starts to recline, just tap the Back button to stop in your desired position.
One interesting thing to note is the recline. Most L-Track massage chairs, the angle of the seat, and backrest do not change when reclining, unlike S-Track chairs. OHCO has come up with an elegant solution that the backrest angle does change allowing for a true Zero Gravity position. The Luraco i9 Medical Massage Chair and the Daiwa Supreme Hybrid Massage Chair both have a true Zero Gravity with a flexible track.
TIP: You may read elsewhere that the M.8 also has inversion and lie-flat position. I can confirm that it does not.
L-Track (MAXTRACK)
The track that the massage mechanism follows is a 49 inch L-Track and travels from your neck, down your back, and wraps underneath your glutes. If you have sciatic issues or workout and do lots of squats, you might want to look into an L-Track.
Deltawave 4D Mechanism
The massage from the Deltawave 4D mechanism is what you would expect from a high-end massage chair. The massage itself is on par with the top massage mechanisms on the market, such as the Ogawa Master Drive AI and the Luraco i9. As far as which is better, that comes down to personal preference, and the massage does not disappoint, but it is not as deep as the other aforementioned chairs. During the automatic program, just hit the 3D button to adjust the intensity of the roller with 3 levels to choose from.
TIP: For our OHCO M.8 review, I would not classify the M.8 as a deep tissue massage chair. It is much lighter massage and does not have removable padding to allow for a deeper massage.
The massage roller itself is a quad style roller, which means that there are 2 massage nodes on the top and 2 on the bottom. Most quad style rollers, just the sides work independently. The OHCO M8, the top and bottom move independently also which gives it a less mechanical feel. My favorite is when the roller is moving down your back, the bottom rollers move in and stay stationary rolling down along your spine while the top is performing a kneading technique.
Air Compression Massage
The air compression on the OHCO M.8 massage chair is quite fantastic and one of the best I have had. The 48 airbags are located at the headrest, shoulders, lumbar, seat, arms, calves, and feet. You can adjust the pressure through 3 intensity settings.
TIP: Please note that the air compressor is kind of loud and can be distracting.
Shoulder/Arm Air Compression
The shoulder airbags hold you really well, which is needed during stretching. The arm airbags are unique as there are 3 airbags above your arms and 3 below. This allows for some unique compression along the forearm, wrist, and hands. For instance, the top front airbag would inflate to grab your hands, while the center bottom inflates. If you are looking for a chair with an amazing arm massage, check out the Luraco i9 Medical Massage Chair with its unique arm massage rollers.
Seat/Lumbar Air Compression
There are 2 airbags located in the lumbar and another 4 located under the seat, which acts like nodes that push up and are very relaxing. The 2 on the back of the seat hit perfectly on my sciatic nerve. As soon as those airbags inflate, I can feel the pain go away. The other 2 airbags are located under the hips. During some of the programs, one side will inflate, then the other side, creating a rocking motion which helps to loosen and stretch the hips.
Calf Massage
The calf massage on the OHCO M.8 massage chair is genuinely fantastic. First, there are airbags located on the sides of each calf. What makes the calf massage unique is that the outside airbag moves circularly that kind of feels like someone kneading the side of your calves. Behind the calf sits a set of rollers that knead your calf muscles. The calf massage feels great after a good leg day in the gym.
TIP: The footrest extension is spring loaded and can get taxing for taller people such as myself. Just lower the footrest down and it will help to relieve the pressure on your legs or looking for a massage chair with an automatic footrest.
Foot Massage
The 2 reflexology rollers underneath your feet apply a massage to the bottom. They feel a little different from the standard rollers in most massage chairs as the small nodes hit in between my toes, which is a good thing. The airbags push down to keep your feet in place as the rollers go to work, and they feel awesome, especially when the inserts grab your heel.
TIP: Some people do not like the heel insert, and these are optional. They slide in and out of the pocket easily.
OHCO M.8 REVIEW: Other Features
Heat Therapy
There is so much heat going on with the OHCO M.8, more than any other massage chair we have used before. You can turn the heat on and off where you need it, but I usually have them all on. If it gets too hot, then I just turn off the heat in the seat. Heat is located Feet, Seat, Back, Hands, Roller, and even the Headrest.
Wall Hugging
One of the excellent features of the OHCO M.8 massage chair is that when you recline the massage chair, it also slides forward. This technology means you only need 6.25 inches behind the chair to have a full recline. This is great for places when space is a premium.
Chromotherapy
Ok, not going to lie, this one is weird for my OHCO M.8 review. Most massage chairs that have chromotherapy, the LED lights are usually located on the outside of the sides of the chair, or near your head on the inside. With the M.8, the chromotherapy utilizes the remote control LCD Screen. It is pretty pointless and useless, in my opinion, but you can choose from Balance, Calm, Energize, and Exhale.
Night Light (M-SENSE Light Pool)
The OHCO M.8 massage chair has LED lights along both sides of the chair that can be used as a night light. They really make the chair look beautiful, and they function well. You can set it to where it is on or off all of the time, or have it Sense. With Sense, when you go near the massage chair, it will turn on. I have it on Sense, and it takes a few days to get used to it. At first, waking up in the middle of the night to get water and walk by the chair, and they turn on by themselves, which can be a little unnerving when you are not expecting it.
USB Charging
In both doors, there are USB plugs where you can charge your phone or any device. If you are charging your phone, there is a slot in the door to store it while you relax in your massage chair.
Remote Control
The OHCO M.8 massage chair has a slim LCD remote that is tethered by a retractable cable. There is a slot in the door to store the remote. The menu is straight forward and allows you to operate the massage chair efficiently. While the chair is in operation, there is a screen that will show what the massage chair is doing.
Language Selection
There are many different languages to choose from. You can select English, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, and Russian.
More Features Not Tested
The OHCO M.8 massage chair also features an Ionizer and Aromatherapy. The aromatherapy is a separate unit that you plug up behind the speaker grills. I have yet to use these and will update the review once I have had a chance to use them. There are manual massage modes available too.
OHCO M.8 Review Conclusion - 4.0
During my OHCO M.8 review, it was hard not to fall in love with the massage chair. Not only is it beautiful, but it functions just as well as it looks. There are a few quirks that you have to get used to, but that is the same with anything new.
The massage is good and I enjoyed it. I wish it would have gone a little deeper or allowed to remove some padding, but if light to medium massage is what you are looking for, look no further. The quad rollers are excellent and the programs were put together very well.
The Air Compression massage is probably one of the best I have seen on any chair, but the air compressor is really loud and distracting. I really liked the arm massage and the elliptical calf massage. With the features, the OHCO M.8 is packed with TONS of features.
Customizability with the OHCO M.8 is quick pretty easy. I did not give it a full 5 points as I wish the leg rest was powered and not spring-loaded. I also wish you could adjust the intensity further or quickly add time to the massage. Besides that, the linking of another program, so you can do 2 back to back, was really neat and I found that I used it quite often.
We no longer carry the OHCO M.8 Massage Chair. If you are interested in high end massage chairs, please check out our $5000+ Massage Chairs or shop all of our Massage Chairs.
If you are interested in the OHCO M.8 Massage Chair, please check out our other options or check out our Best Massage Chair list.
Ogawa Master Drive AI Massage Chair
